Whatever happened to Baby Jane? To her smile, her golden hair? Why must everything be so unfair? Is there no one left to care What really happened to Baby Jane?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a classic 1962 thriller directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. It was adapted from a novel by Henry Farrell.

Aging sisters Blanche (Crawford) and "Baby" Jane Hudson (Davis) live together in a decaying mansion in Hollywood. Jane was a child star of vaudeville in the 1910s, but her fame disappeared a long time ago. Blanche was a successful film actress, but she was crippled in a mysterious car accident involving Jane.

Jane is mentally disturbed, an alcoholic, and greatly resents Blanche. When she learns that Blanche plans to sell the mansion and put her in a sanitarium, things really start to go downhill. Jane's mental state gradually worsens, and she becomes emotionally and physically abusive to her sister, eventually holding her hostage.

There is also a 1991 TV movie version starring real-life sisters Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave as Jane and Blanche. It doesn't seem to have been poorly received by critics, but it hasn't made much of an impression either.

Curse Cut Short: Jane calling Blanche a bitch is drowned out by the sound of the buzzer.

Cute but Cacophonic: Baby Jane's singing voice comes off as somewhat shrill, even for a little girl.

Deathbed Confession: On the beach, when Blanche thinks that she's dying, she tells Jane the truth about the car accident.

Dark Reprise: When Baby Jane first sings the song "I've Written a Letter to Daddy" in the beginning of the story, it just comes off as a sappy kid's song. However, it becomes incredibly creepy when she sings it later as an old woman.

Daylight Horror: Blanche's presumed death, and Jane's final descent into madness, take place at a crowded beach on a sunny day.

Defrosting Ice Queen: A really dark example. Jane starts off the film as a grumpy and bitter old woman but as she gets herself further into trouble she unravels and behaves more like a frightened child.

Even Evil Has Standards: Edwin may be a slimy greaseball that is just going after Jane for her money, but when he sees Blanche all tied up, he immediately runs out the door and contacts the police.

Evil All Along: Blanche was endlessly bitter about the preferential treatment her sister got as a child. The situation only declined further when they were adults, as their careers were tied together. Every film Blanche made, one had to be made with Jane, and Jane couldn't act; meaning every flop Jane made damaged Blanche's career. Finally Blanche had enough, and tried to kill her sister, but ended up crippling herself. Blanche made it look like Jane was responsible; even Jane believed this, since she was drunk, and couldn't remember the night. Thus, she was forced to live with guilt for the rest of her life. Still bitter, Blanche forced her sister to wait on her hand and foot for thirty years before Jane loses her mind, and The Dog Bites Back.

Good Colors, Evil Colors: The fact that Jane is blonde and wears white, while Blanche has black hair and wears dark clothes, should be the first clue that all is not as it seems. It's especially noticeable because Blanche's name means "white."

Gold Digger: Edwin is repulsed by Jane, but he still wines and dines her hoping to milk the situation for all it's worth.

Madness Makeover: Jane went from being a very pretty but troubled young woman, to a crazy old biddy who never washes her face, styles her hair in ringlets and looks more dishevelled as her grip on sanity loosens.

Stepford Smiler: Blanche has always been a big one, but is forced to fake it even more to placate Jane as she gets crazier and more violent.

Stylistic Suck: Early in the film, studio executives watch scenes from Jane's films, and note that she's an awful actress. However, those were real scenes from the early movies of Bette Davis.

Take Our Word for It: We never find out what Jane wrote about Blanche on the envelope containing her fan letters, with Elvira only saying, "I can't remember the last time I saw words like that written down". (In 1962, it probably would've been impossible to say such words in a movie).

Timeshifted Actor: Jane and Blanche as children are played by June Allred and Gina Gillespie.

Twist Ending: At the end the secret of the accident is revealed by Blanche. It was thought by everybody (even Jane, who was drunk and couldn't remember) that she tried to kill Blanche, but it was actually the other way around. Blanche tried to run over Jane, who was able to get out of the way in time, and instead Blanche snapped her own spine as the car crashed.

Jane: You mean all this time, we could have been friends?

The Unfavorite: Blanche in the 1910s. Her father seems to openly dislike her and though her mother is kinder to her, she is largely overlooked.

It's quite possible the roles are reversed when the sisters go to live with their aunt, who openly favors Blanche the same way their father favored Jane.

Uncanny Valley Makeup: Jane, so, so much. Bette Davis suggested the idea she never washes her face, she just cakes new makeup on every day.

The Unreveal: Does Blanche die there on the beach, or not? We'll never know.

Villainous Breakdown: Jane goes completely insane at the end, and when she's discovered by the police, and as a crowd gathers around her, she starts her old song-and-dance routine.

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